Reign Over Me
by Aiko-Chan SoT
Summary: After losing his family in a tragic accident, Sonic meets up with Tails, his mind nearly lost from grief. Can Tails show Sonic that expressing his grief may help more than he may think? Inspired by the movie; SonicxTails brotherly; Rated for profanity.
1. Chapter 1

_YAY! New project!_

_Yeah, I've been working on watching that movie, _Reign Over Me_, and I've finally got around to it. And I've realized how good of a story it is to use with Sonic and Tails, however AU it might be. _

_Anyway, this is another brotherly oneshot, one I intend to enjoy writing, although this first chapter was kinda annoying, except at the ending. It will get better. This is just the leading chapter._

_Anyways, I hope this turns out good, and let me know if I should just give up this project. :)_

**Reign Over Me**

**Chapter 1**

It had been a very long day.

After several landing-gear replacements, two wing repairs, and a couple gas tank replacements, just before closing, a total rebuild came in. Of course, he didn't need it back in forever, but it was still a little aggravating, and it would be for any plane repairer. He loved fixing and rebuilding planes, but considering it was the fourth time Mr. John Dotson had brought in his small, single passenger practice plane if _four months_. It took everything he had to simply smile at the man and tell him it would be finished within the month.

Miles 'Tails' Prower, sighed as he walked out of the shop, leaving all of the to-be-finished work inside. He was filthy and exhausted, and beginning to get tired of rebuilding planes. He locked the door behind him, his twin tails twitching gently behind him as he turned the key in the lock and turned to walk to his car. He stuck his keys in the pockets of his working shirt, sighing in relief at the finished day.

It was around four, and the sun was still far from setting. The streets of Station Square were full, people in cars and on the sidewalk, most of them heading home. Tails walked to his car parked along side of the road, unlocking the door and slipping inside. He pulled slowly into the traffic, almost immediately stopping once on the road. Great. He wanted to get home and relax the rest of the evening.

But now he was stuck in traffic.

Sighing, Tails rested his head in his hand, his elbow resting on the window, staring out of the glass. People were walking down the sidewalk, grouped together. Tails scanned the throng of people, his eyes falling on someone that looked fairly familar. He lifted his head immediately, rolling down his window and sticking his head outside. He racked his brain, trying to remember if he knew the so-familar-looking hedgehog walking down the sidewalk.

Memories came back to him, of his childhood and his school life. Immediately, Tails knew who it was, just as the hedgehog looked up and his green eyes flashed in the sunlight.

"Sonic?!" Tails shouted outside the window, immediately getting looks from the people on the street. The blue hedgehog was now crossing the street nearby, and Tails opened the door slightly, hanging out the car and shouting again. "Sonic!" But ear-buds were shoved tightly into the hedgehogs ear, and he was unable to hear him. For a moment, Tails thought about following him, the best friend he hadn't seen in years, but decided against it. Still, he watched the blue hedgehog walk down the street before turning it and disappearing before he got back into his car.

In the next few minutes he waited in the traffic, Tails' mind raced, remembering the fond memories of his past with the familar blue hedgehog. Sonic had always been his best friend, his brother even, and the two had shared a close bond as they grew through the years. Tails always looked up to Sonic, and Sonic had always loved him like his own brother.

But after Tails went off to college, the two saw less and less of each other. The twin-tailed fox knew that his old friend had been married to Amy Rose, something neither of them could have seen in their past, and he had children. Tails couldn't recall the last time he had talked to his old friend. And seeing him had brung back so much.

As Tails made his way home, Sonic stayed on his mind, and the fox hoped he would see him again soon.

**xxx**

Tails made his way inside his home, sighing and plopping immediately on the couch. His apartment was small, not much, but not too little either, and he liked it that way. A TV sat in front of the couch, with a table between the two. One hallway to the right led to the kitchen, and from there, a hallway led into the bedroom and bathroom. A hallway in the back led to a small study, which Tails had made into his workshop for his at-home repairs. As he sat on the couch, Tails reached for the remote, flipping on the television. He flipped through the channels, but wasn't really watching anything.

He was still focused on seeing Sonic for the first time in years.

The last he had heard from the hedgehog was several years before, just after the tragic death of Sonic's family. All two of them - Amy and his single daughter - were killed when a semi had crossed the center line and struck their car head on. Sonic had been hysterical, crazy almost, but at the funeral, Tails didn't see him cry, simply staring at the bodies in horror and disbelief. Now, Tails wondered how everything was going for him, and hoped he had coped well.

Sighing Tails stood from his couch, turning the TV off and heading into the bathroom. He showered quickly, walking into his bedroom once finished. As he passed by the phone, Tails paused, thinking a second. He wanted to get in touch with Sonic, and for a moment he wondered if anyone knew of his whereabouts. But Tails decided against it, instead crawling into his bed. He did a little reading in his book, but found himself unable to concentrate, so instead, he decided to go to sleep, glad that tomorrow was Saturday.

**xxx**

The next morning, Tails climbed into his car, decided to do a little shopping before getting started on some projects. He was coming out of the store, just getting ready to climb into his car, when he noticed the same familiar blue hedgehog, walking down the street quickly. Immediately, Tails dropped the groceries in his car before beginning to shout again.

"Sonic!" he shouted, heading toward him. "Sonic the Hedgehog!" If Sonic had heard him, he gave no notion, and kept walking with the crowd. "Sonic!" Tails shouted louder, pushing through the crowd toward him. The blue hedgehog lifted his head slightly, twisting his ears as if hearing something. "Sonic! Stop!"

Immediately, the hedgehog stopped, the crowd, unfazed, passing by him without caring. Sonic turned around, his green eyes blinking in slightly confusion as Tails pushed through the crowd toward him, panting slightly when he finally reached him, smiling in greeting.

"Sonic!" he said, offering his hand to shake, which Sonic took, muttering a brief "Hey" as the two shook hands. "Hey, Sonic. It's Tails." After a second of silence, Sonic simply staring at him, he nodded.

"Hey. How you doing?" he said, as the two released hands, his eyes blinking slightly in confusion at Tails. But the twin-tailed fox didn't notice as he beamed happily at his old friend, someone he hadn't seen in forever.

"I'm doing good," Tails replied, hand dropping to his side. "How have you been? I saw you yesterday, walking down the street. I tried to get your attention, but you must've not heard me or something." A moments pause. "So how are you doing?"

Sonic simply watched Tails again, his eyes flickering in brief confusion. "You...You say we know each other?" he asked quietly, something familiar twinkling in his eyes. The smile fell from Tails's face, slight hurt rising in his chest. How could he forget all those years? Concern flooded Tails's heart, and immediately, he assumed something was wrong. Had he not coped well with his family's deaths?

"What...Are you...Sonic, it's me. Tails? Miles Prower?" Sonic simply blinked, but Tails could see he was struggling to remember. Shock entered the kitsunes eyes. "We lived together. You found me? Remember? You practically adopted me, for God's sake, and you don't remember me?" Sonic simply nodded, but Tails could still see the confusion in his eyes.

"Oh, yeah...Um, Miles, right?" Tails felt his heart drop, his eyes narrowing in hurt and confusion.

"Yes, Sonic...But you don't remember me, do you?" The hedgehog said nothing, simply staring at the twin-tailed fox before him. "How can you not remember me?"

Sonic's eyes twinkled, but still, no realization sparkled in them. "I...I remember..." He paused, squinting. "Tails...Lil' bro...?" A brief spark of hope came alive in the kitsunes chest, and he smiled, nodding carefully.

"Thats right..." he told the hedgehog, who was still studying him closely. "It's...uh...It's good to finally see you again." He paused. "You want to get something to drink?" For a moment, Sonic just stood there, shaking his head.

"No, I can't...I can't get a drink..." He said quietly, muttering it over and over under his breath. Concern again rushed over Tails, and he stared at the hedgehog in confusion before he spoke again.

"Okay...how about something to eat then?" Sonic blinked again, as if he wasn't sure. "I know a little place, just across the street?" Sonic blinked again, and he nodded.

"Oh...Okay..." the hedgehog said, and Tails smiled, nodding for the hedgehog to follow him across the street to the diner.

**xxx**

Tails sat down at the end of the diner, motioning for Sonic to join him. Again, the hedgehog had ear-buds stuck in his ears, but he removed them as he come closer, the small headphones hanging around his neck. The two were silent until they ordered their food, and Tails was the first to speak.

"So, what have you been up to, Sonic?" the kitsune asked Sonic, who was sitting staring out the window at the cars packed in the street. For several moments, Sonic didn't answer, and Tails wondered if he heard him. Then the hedgehog spoke, his voice careful, guarded.

"I've, uh...nothing..." he told the kitsune, his green eyes not moving from the window. "Nothing at all." The two were silent until Sonic looked up, his green eyes suddenly looking a little more familiar to the kitsune, as a brief smile spread across his face. "My little brother," he said, shaking his head. "It's...It's been a long time, huh?" He took a sip of the soda he had bought, looking away from Tails, still nodding. The kitsune smiled, memories exploding in his head, and nodded.

Sonic was still nodding, his smile still spread across his face. "It's really good to see you again...Tails," the hedgehog told him, and Tails felt his smile grow as he watched his friend, the concern still remaining just slightly in his chest.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, nodding as well. "It's good to see you again too, Sonic." Sonic turned to him, something in his eyes Tails had never seen before. Something had changed about his friend, and whatever it was, Tails wasn't familiar with, nor comfortable. And Tails firmly believed his change was bad, something that had been caused from hopelessness after the death of his family...

"Why don't...Why don't you come over to my apartment?" the hedgehog offered, taking another sip of his drink. Tails smiled again, nodding.

"I would love to, Sonic," the kitsune said, and moments later, the two departed the diner.

**xxx**

The two walked to the hedgehog's apartment, which was just a few blocks away. He lived in a place similar to Tails's apartment, but the rooms were a little bigger, with more space. Tails entered Sonic's apartment behind him, removing his shoes at the door. He admired the brief collection of running trophies against the wall on a shelf, remembering his childhood with the speedy hedgehog. He walked into the main room, immediately spotting a large TV sitting in the middle of the room, with a Playstation plugged into it. Tails was quiet for a moment, looking around the apartment, as Sonic slowly sunk into the couch.

"I see you still kept your running trophies," the fox told him, motioning toward the trophies at the door. Sonic nodded, turning to him.

"Thats one thing I still love to do, run," he replied, leaning back against the couch. He closed his eyes as Tails walked around the apartment. "Do you still like to...What was it you did?..." Tails felt his heart drop a moment. "Repair and build stuff?" Grateful for the correct answer, Tails nodded.

"Yep," he replied, looking into the kitchen. "I opened my own plane repair shop across town. Been getting alot of business." Sonic nodded.

"Thats...thats good." The hedgehog reached for the Playstation controller, turning the TV on the with remote. Immediately, the screen came alive. Tails turned around, watching the TV as Sonic turned the Playstation on. The game came alive, and in moments, Sonic was playing the game, something that looked to Tails to be a war game.

He turned away from the TV, looking around the house at the sounds of shooting guns echoed through the house around him. There was junk lying in the corner of the living room, near the door, and Tails looked around, heading toward the next room without a noise. As the gunfire continued behind him, Tails glanced into the opposite room, seeing even more junk lying around. He saw a small cot lying on the ground, surrounded by more junk, with a pillow lying on top.

It was at that moment Tails knew that Sonic had not been doing well.

He turned away, heading down the opposite hallway and asking Sonic if he could use his bathroom. Sonic, after a moment of silence, motioned him toward the back, still shooting on his video game. Tails walked down the hallway, looking into the first doorway to see bunches of boxes stacked around, covered by white sheets. Ignoring the feeling rising in his chest and swallowing the lump in his throat, Tails turned away, looking into the next room. He found the same thing as in the last room, except there were less boxes. Without a sound, Tails continued and entered the next door which proved to be the bathroom. He glanced down the hallway again, back at Sonic, still playing the video game.

He wondered silently how much longer the hedgehog could live like this, alone and in such silence. The loss of his family had drove him close to becoming insane, if not over the border, and Tails knew the moment he met him that he had been changed in a bad way. Tails swallowed the lump again, shaking his head and closing the door.

**End of Chapter**


	2. Chapter 2

_I was glad of the amount of reviews this got, as well as the praise. I was surprised, actually, but happy all the same. Thanks to all who reviewed and added the story to their favorites. Here's chapter two!_

_Oh, and I was asked how old the characters are...Tails is roughly 25 years old, while Sonic is around...29 or 30. Your choice. lol Hope you enjoy!_

**Reign Over Me**

**Chapter 2**

The next morning, Tails found himself up in Sonic's apartment once more.

Although his friend had changed, Tails found himself enjoying the company of his old friend much more than he did the solitary quiet of his own home. And before leaving Saturday night, Sonic had told him the same, that he had also enjoyed the company, and invited him over again the next day. Tails accepted, and here he was again, watching as Sonic played the Playstation once more.

"What did you call this game?" Tails asked, cocking his head to one side as he watched the TV screen.

"Medal of Honor, Rising Sun," Sonic told him without looking away from the TV, still fighting. Tails simply nodded, watching as Sonic shot yet another soldier before moving onto the next. Then, Sonic suddenly paused the game, looking up questionably at Tails. "Do you wanna play?"

For a moment, Tails said nothing, simply staring at his old friend, slightly surprised by his friends question. But then, with a single smile, Tails nodded.

"Sure, why not?" He sat down on the floor next to Sonic, feeling the best he had in a long time, even if his concern for his old friend was growing stronger with each word they shared. Tails picked up the controller as Sonic pressed a few buttons on his, taking them back to the Menu screen.

"So, how exactly do I play this?" Tails asked as the game screen returned, the screen split in two. Sonic simply grinned slightly, pressing a few buttons on his controller.

"All you gotta do is try and kill me before I kill you," the hedgehog replied, and only seconds later, the screen lit up in a bright flash, in which the bottom screen went dim, displaying the words, PLAYER 2 DEFEATED in red letters. Tails, surprised, glanced up at Sonic, who was simply smiling.

"Thats not fair!" the kitsune grumbled, just as the screen came back to the game. He turned back, this time beginning to hit buttons. It was a few minutes this time before gunfire was released, and the bottom screen went dim again, showing the same words as before. Sonic chuckled quietly, and Tails narrowed his eyes, grinning.

"I know what I'm doing now," the kitsune told him. "I'll win this time."

It took several more times, but Tails finally managed to beat Sonic once, in which he glanced at Sonic in satisfaction. The hedgehog shrugged, closing his eyes and leaning against the back of the couch.

"Beginners luck," he had stated, and moments later, Tails was heading home, bidding Sonic farewell.

Now, it was Monday, and Tails was working on the total-rebuild plane.

He was far from finished, as he had just repaired the edge of the wing, and was getting ready to paint it. As he worked, he thought about Sonic, and his deceased family.

Sonic and Amy had been a happy couple, with two daughters. His world revolved around both of them.

So when he found that she had been killed, it devestated him.

Tails remembered when he had recieved the call, that all three were dead. It seemed Sonic had missed their basketball game, and was heading home when he heard the new of their fatal accident. After hearing the news, Sonic stayed were he was in his car, pulled off the side of the road, refusing to believe they weren't coming home.

After they showed him the bodies, he was forced into reality, and hadn't been the same since.

Tails went to the funeral, and never saw Sonic cry once. He simply stared at the coffins in disbelief, horror, and anger. He hardly talked to Tails, and the kitsune was relunctant to leave his friend alone, but had been forced to leave, due to his job. He had hoped that Sonic had coped well with the tragedy.

But seeing him recently had proved him wrong.

He sprayed over the wing with the paint, the wing looking as if it had never been broken. He moved onto the other wing, buffing out what scratches remained and replacing the tip. The entire time, he wondered about his old friend, glad for the chance to reconnected with him. Maybe, just maybe, Sonic would finally release his bottled emotions, and share to Tails just exactly what he had felt...

**xxx**

Tails closed up shop at three, once more climbing into his car and heading to Sonic's apartment. He climbed up the steps, pressing the button on the wall to ring up his room. There was no answer from the intercom system, and Tails tried again, listening. It was then that the owner of the small apartments opened the doors, looking at him strangely.

"I'm sorry, but who are you ringing?" the older lady asked, her glassed sliding down her nose. Tails looked over at her, blinking slightly.

"Um, Sonic the Hedgehog, ma'am," he replied, and the lady narrowed her eyes.

"Now why would you do that?" she answered coldly. Tails was suddenly confused, and he stood a little straighter, shaking his head.

"I don't know what you mean," he told her. "I was up in his apartment just yester--"

"Yes, yes, I bet you were," the lady said coldly, ready to shut the door. Tails reached out and grabbed the handle, stopping the door.

"Wait! I really was! I'm just here to see him again. We grew up togeth--"

"Look, kid, no one has been in his room for over two years," the lady said, shaking her head. "I seriously doubt you would've been--"

"Prower!" A voice shouted from the sidewalk, and Tails whipped around at his name, seeing the blue fur of Sonic skidded to a stop in front of the apartment. "Tails! Hey, my little brother!" Tails, looking smugly over his shoulder at the disbelieving woman, stepped down and headed to Sonic, who was smiling at him. He then looked up at the woman holding the door, who was looking in surprise at the hedgehog.

"Hey, this is my old friend, Miles," he announced, and Tails suddenly felt uncomfortable, standing next to him. "We grew up together!" He looked back down at Tails, still grinning. "Right?" Without speaking, Tails simply smiled and nodded. The old lady, saying nothing, slipped back inside the apartment, disappearing behind the door.

Sonic chuckled slightly, then reached out to Tails, offering him his hand. Tails looked at it in confusion.

"C'mon! I want to go for a run." Tails simply looked at his hand, hesitantly reaching his own out to grasp it firmly. Just as his hand wrapped around Sonic's, the hedgehog shot off in a blur, the two seemingly flying.

Grasping Sonic's hand and trying desperately to not slip away as he was flung through the air, Tails was reminded instantly of his childhood, grabbing Sonic hand as they shot off to their next big adventure. He could almost feel what it was like as a kid, almost imagine they were off to face Dr. Robotnik yet again, imagine they were flying, and would never come back down.

After a few moments of being flung through the air, Tails smiled to himself. He began to twist his tails behind him, beginning to move his feet quickly. In mere seconds, he was no longer flying through the air behind Sonic. Now he was flying alone, following Sonic to God knows where.

Just like it had always been when they were kids.

**xxx**

It was almost dark when the finally stopped running, skidding to a stop on the sidewalk. Tails laughed aloud as they finally stopped, panting loudly. He hadn't ran like that in years.

As he stood trying to catch his breath, Sonic looked up at the diner they were in front of. Tails, panting heavily still, followed his gaze, looking at the small bar-looking diner. There weren't many people inside, and there wasn't very many people around the streets. Sonic looked down at him, pointing to the diner.

"Lets go inside," he offered, walking toward the door without another word. Tails followed behind him, and the two sat down in a booth moments later, flipping through the Menu.

Tails wasn't really focused on the Menu. Instead, his mind was flying through the past, when him and Sonic were together all the time. He chuckled quietly to himself, and Sonic looked up at him from his Menu in confusion. Tails simply smiled at him, shaking his head.

"What?" Sonic asked, looking around as if hoping to see what was making Tails laugh.

"Nothing," the kitsune replied, still smiling. "That run just made me remember all the crazy shit we used to do." He shook his head, chuckling again. "We used to go running all the time..." He sighed, looking up at Sonic again. "Where did the years go?" Sonic simply nodded, looking away from Tails and back down at his Menu.

When the waitress came by, Tails ordered a beer, while Sonic ordered another soda, and the two sipped at their drinks quietly. Tails looked over Sonic's head at the group of girls sitting at the table, giggling quietly. Tails smiled, and Sonic looked over his shoulder at the girls before turning back around.

"A bunch of girls, Sonic," Tails attempted, wondering if the hedgehog ever thought about continuing his life with another relationship. Sonic looked up at him, a sudden, unfamiliar glimmer in his eyes. "A good thing, don't you think?" Tails wondered if he might be crossing a line, but he continued anyway. He had to get Sonic back on his feet somehow. Sonic simply stared at Tails, unmoving.

"What...What are you...implying?" the hedgehog asked, his voice suddenly guarded, suddenly changed. Tails blinked in surprise, shaking his head.

"I..I don't mean anything by it, Sonic. I just meant..." He shrugged, blinking. "Maybe you should find someone." Silence. Sonic stared at Tails, his eyes flashing strangely.

"What--"

"All I mean is you're single now, Sonic," Tails attempted, feeling guilty and closing in on Sonic's confidential feelings that had been hidden away for so long. But he knew they had to be brought out somehow. "I mean, after...after what happened to...to your family..."

"What _family_?" the hedgehog asked, his voice suddenly slight hostile.

"I-I know, Sonic, I was just.. I was just making small talk, you know?" Tails took a sip of his beer, feeling suddenly uncomfortable as Sonic stared him down, suddenly looked angry. Then, to Tails's surprise, Sonic got to his feet, still staring him down. For a moment, neither spoke.

"...Who sent you?" the hedgehog demanded quietly, his eyes cold and hard. Tails simply stared at him, his mouth moving up and down, but no words emerging.

"I--I...I don't..." Tails managed. Sonic came closer to him, his eyes glaring and glowering.

"Who sent you?" the hedgehog suddenly shouted loudly, almost panicked, and the entire diner feel silent. Tails didn't answer, and Sonic moved ever closer. "Did they send you here? Did they?"

"What are you--" Tails started, but Sonic suddenly interrupting, growing even louder.

"They sent you, didn't they? Are you one of them? A specialist?" The hedgehog was practically screaming now, and he had the entire diners attention.

"I'm not--I don't even know what you're--"

"Don't lie to me!" Sonic screamed, throwing his arms up in anger. Tails attempted to cut in again, but Sonic screamed once more. "Don't lie to me! If no one sent you, then why are yo here?"

"Sonic, don't--"

"Answer my damn question! Why are you here? Why are you talking to me?" Tails attempted to speak again, but Sonic suddenly grabbed the glass of beer in front of him and threw it on him, drenching him in the cold liquid. Tails, shocked and suddenly cold, jumped up, staring in shock down at his soaked clothing. Sonic was still freaking around, and as when he looked up, he saw the fear, anxiety, and anger burning in Sonic's emerald eyes.

"What is wrong with you?!" Tails shouted back.

"Why?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly. Tails stayed silent, simply watching the hedgehog coldly. "Why are you here?"

At that moment, Tails finally understood what was going on.

He stared at Sonic, his eyes glowing with disbelief and concern. He knew the hedgehog was still hurting, and Tails had trespassed in a forbidden territory, one Sonic planned to always keep to himself. And the hedgehog believed therapist were after him, one after the other.

The hedgehog was afraid to open up to anyone.

For a moment, both fox and hedgehog stared at one another, ones eyes filled with concern and shock, the other filled with anger and fear. To Tails, it was a strange thing, staring Sonic down like this, his former best friend almost completely insane from the loss of his family. But here he was, fighting back the sympathetic sadness that threatened to consume him.

Finally, Tails broke the stare, turning and walking out of the diner without another word, fighting back the angry tears as he walked away from the diner and from Sonic.

**End of Chapter**


	3. Chapter 3

_Been awhile since I updated. Sorry about that, but I've been busy, you know? But school goes out on Tuesday, so alot more updates there. :) So here's another chapter. This one is really emotional and kinda surprising at least near the end. So read, and enjoy._

**Chapter 3**

That night, Tails could not shake the look on Sonic's face from his mind. As he lay in bed, staring at the alarm clock on his bedside table, he kept picturing the guarded, angry look that Sonic had given him, as if Tails was trying to destroy what little hold he had on his life. To him, seeing Sonic's face like that was devestating. He remembered Sonic as carefree, wise-cracking, and strong. He had once viewed Sonic the Hedgehog has his hero, someone that feared nothing and always knew what to do.

But seeing what he had looked like that night was a blow to Tails's memories, forcing him to realize that even Sonic the Hedgehog wasn't unstoppable or always knew what to do.

Tails sighed quietly, turning away from the clock, which now read 1:42, and faced the wall, his eyes closing tightly. The image stayed in his mind, an image that chilled the kitsune. The helplessness that the kitsune had seen behind the wall of anger was something no one should have to see in their best friend. He shivered beneath his covers, pulling this closer around him, hoping sleep would come soon.

And it did, just a the clock read 2:26.

**xxx**

The next morning, Tails went off to work, his mind focused mostly on the change of his best friend. He climbed into his car, sighing and struggling to wake up. It was seven in the morning, and he had to wake completely up, or be at risk for injury at his job. Blinking furiously, Tails started his car and reached for the gear shift. But he hesitated, a sudden flashback forcing it's way into his mind. The previous evening, with the feeling of the wind blowing through his fur as he and Sonic raced through the city, the world blurring around them. For a moment, Tails sat in his car, staring at the steering wheel, the memory fresh in his mind. Then, he smiled slightly, reaching and turning the car off, sticking the keys in the pocket of his work shirt.

Then, he climbed out of the car, proceeding to walk to work.

**xxx**

Work was slow. Only a few people came in needing repairs, so Tails got to work alot on the total rebuild, which was still annoying. After so many times of rebuilding that same plane, it kind of begins to get on nerves. Tails grumbled quietly to himself as he fixed the landing gear on the plane, still struggling to stay awake. At exactly four, Tails closed shop, walking back to his house.

He was three blocks from his house when he saw him again, walking down the street the exact way he had been the first time Tails saw him those few days ago. He had his earbuds shoved in his ears, and he was walking quickly across the street, just another face in the crowd of people. The only thing different was, this time, he was staring directly at Tails, and heading right for him. Tails, remembering the previous nights affairs, had felt the anger raise in his face again. He hoped that the hedgehog would simply pass by him without a word, realizing he was finished with him.

But of course, just as Tails figured he would do, the hedgehog stopped directly in front of him, stopping the kitsune in his tracks. The fox narrowed his eyes slightly, as Sonic smiled warmingly at him.

"Hey, Miles," he greeted, waving a hand at him. Tails narrowed his eyes further, turning and walking around Sonic.

"Hi," he replied as he passed, not coldly, but not kindly either. He walked right past Sonic, but the hedgehog, not taking the hint that Tails was still upset, fell in step beside him, not saying anything. They walked in silence for two blocks before Tails, becoming increasingly annoyed, opened his mouth to questions Sonic's actions.

"So, you wanna come over?" the hedgehog asked, beating Tails to speaking. He looked over at the fox, his green eyes flickering. "We can play more MoH."

For a moment, Tails simply stared at the hedgehog, stunned. Why would he, after being accused of trying to get help for Sonic, want to go to his apartment? And why would Sonic ask that, fully aware of what happened the night before? Tails blinked slowly, his eyes narrowing further as his mind raced. He knew the hedgehog needed help but this was...

"Sonic, I don't think--"

"Ah, about last night," the hedgehog interrupted as the two got closer and closer to the foxes home. A hesitant smile flickered onto Sonic's face as he rubbed the back of his neck gingerly. He glanced over at Tails, green eyes guarded, hesitant, anxious. "I uh...I..." He trailed off, unable to go any farther. His eyes became hard, and he looked away, facing the other side of the street away from Tails. The fox watched him as his demenor changed suddenly, wondering what was going through his mind. A strange feeling of guilt overcame the fox, and he looked toward his house as it came into view, his mind racing.

Then, with a slightly smile, Tails reached for Sonic shoulder. "Lets go play some MoH."

**xxx**

Tails left from the apartment around seven that night, his mind racing still, even after playing that mind-numbing, blood-spilling game. He knew the hedgehog was not in his right mind, but Tails had no idea how to approach this situation, for obviously, Sonic was nowhere near breaking about it, and freaked out when asked.

Tails stepped out into the cool evening air, the sun just setting over the ocean behind the city. He eyed it for a moment, the rays of red and yellow mixing in the sky, turning it into a soft purple, with splashes of pink. It was beautiful, reflecting back at itself from the water. He stared at it for several moments, his hands in the pockets of his work jacket, and he sighed, turning away and beginning to walk home.

The visit had been filled with teasing and fighting on that game. Sonic was apparently obsessed with the Medal of Honor game, as well with music. Anytime he would be around the hedgehog, he would always have the earbuds shoved in his ears, listening to the music playing quietly from the iPod in his pocket. And yet he would still listen when spoken to, answer question he felt need to answer.

However, there were several important things he still needed to explain.

Sonic wasn't the same. Ever since the death of his family, the hedgehog had taken a drastic change, mentally and physically. Death was a subject he couldn't deal with, and the subject of family was a touchy subject as well. And he had lost weight. Alot of weight. And his fur had lost the blueish glow it used to have, dulled to a dark cerulean.

Frankly, the change scared Tails.

Seeing his childhood hero and best friend as down as he was now was a blow to Tails memories and to him presently. And it hurt to wonder what he was going through, hurt to think of the hurt he was suffering through. The loss of his family was a critical hit to the hedgehogs reality, and now, he was struggling just to believe that all people weren't against him, didn't want him to get help.

As Tails walked down the sidewalk, he turned back to the sunset as it peeked from behind the horizon. Was the life of a person like the sunset? Something so beautiful, alive, colorful, but just as quickly gone as it had appeared, taken for granted as 'just another sunset', always forgotten until the next?

It was a scary thought, to believe you were on the planet to live a short life, then be forgotten, even with the effort you put forth to survive. Just another person, that died for another reason, on another day.

He looked away from the sunset, just as it disappeared, spilling darkness across the sky around the city. Tails walked a few more blocks, slowing down as he reached a certain building, his eyes scanning the words; _Angela Michaels, Therapist / Mental/Emotional Specialist_. He passed by the door, staring at the ground as he continued to walk.

Then, he stopped, glancing over his shoulder at the building once more before turning around, pushing the door open, and walking inside.

**xxx**

"Welcome, Mr. Prower. Go ahead and have a seat and we'll discuss your friend."

Tails stared at the friendly woman sitting on the large seat, and smiled slightly at her as she smiled back. He walked over to the fairly large chair in front of her and sat down, feeling slightly nervous and betrayal as he looked up at her, his hands between his knees.

Once inside the building, Tails had explained his situation to the friendly woman that had greeted him, describing Sonic and what had happened.

"You see, ma'am," Tails had said, looking away from her eyes as the feeling of guilt overcame him. "He's just...I don't know what to do...He's lost everything...and he won't open up. Even to me." The friendly woman had smiled at him sympathically.

"Okay, heres a thought. Come in tomorrow morning and we'll discuss what to do about your friend, Mr. Prower." Tails had agreed, and now, he found himself back in her office, feeling very guilty about telling about the feelings hidden by his best friend. He looked up at Angela, his mouth slightly dry. Behind her were several bookcases, and painted photos lined the wall, from many different painters.

"Hello, Ms. Michaelas," Tails greeted with a forced smile. The woman smiled back, nodding her own greeting, and lifted the clipboard in her lap up in her arms.

"Now, Mr. Prower," she began, scribbling on her clipboard. "Can you describe how Mr. Hedgehog is acting when his family is mentioned?"

Tails hesitantly began to describe what had happened a few nights before, mentioning how also, the next day, he had acted as if nothing had happened. Angela had simply nodded when needed and scribbled on the clipboard the entire time, her hands flying across the paper.

And by the time the meeting was over, Tails felt dirty, terribly dirty.

In the meeting, he had spilled everything to the therapists, his worries and Sonic's problems. Now, he was supposed to try to get the hedgehog to open up to him, to understand he was there to help. That, or try and convince him to talk to Angela, just as a friend.

Both were just as likely to happen as the other.

Tails sighed, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets as the wind blew around him. It was nearly noon, and Tails hadn't opened the shop that morning because of the appointment with Angela. He was glad for the chance to think as he walked down the sidewalk toward Sonic's. He hope he could convince the hedgehog to visit the therapist at least once. Tails paused at the intersection, watching for cars before crossing at the red light. People crowded around him, and he found himself in the middle of the throng of people, lost in a mixture of bodies, colors and footsteps. He began to breath deeper, clastraphobia beginning to set in.

And he suddenly wondered if this was how Sonic felt; closed in, lost in a blurred throng of colors, trapped and breathless. A flash of the blue hedgehog exploded in his mind, and the kitsune took a deep shuddering breath, quickly turning to the right and pushing through the people until he could see the building. Escaping from the throng, he pressed himself against the building, his heart pounding and his breath gone. He stayed there a few moments, allowing his breath to come back to him, before he pushed himself away from the building, careful to push through the crowds of people as fast as he could.

When he reached Sonic's apartment, he entered the door swiftly, taking a deep breath once inside.

That feeling of being surrounded at all sides, yet being totally alone, had frightened Tails, causing a chill to cross down his spine. He felt trapped, cornered, and lost in blurred faces and colors.

Tails stayed there a moment, catching his breath once more before climbing the steps to Sonic's apartment.

He knocked on the door, his knock echoing through the empty, quiet hallway. But from inside the apartment, there was no answer. Confused, Tails looked down at his watch - 12:12 - then back up at the door. He should've been home...He knocked again, this time louder, then waited several minutes.

After one more knock, the confusion turned to worry, and Tails put his hand on the door knob, opening it slowly. He found it strange that it was unlocked, and poked his head inside.

"Sonic...?" he said loudly, his voice sounding deafening in the silence of the apartment. The light in the living was on, and the TV was on, something about a 'recent capture of a ecaped prisoner' blarring from it. Tails, his heart loud in his ears, eased inside the house, closing the door behind him with a click. "Sonic?"

He walked into the living room, looking around. The Playstation was lying on the ground, face down and with the Medal of Honor game lying next to it. Perplexed, Tails insepected it closer to see small scratches on both the game and console. Silently, he made his way into the kitchen, scanning the dishes in the sink, with a washcloth hanging across the faucet. He turned away from the kitchen, making his way down the hallway.

"Sonic? Are you here?" Tails peeked into the first room, eyeing the boxes for any movement. He did the same in the next room, and as he reached the final one before the bathroom, he heard a loud thud from said room. Turning away from the bedroom, Tails neared the closed bathroom door, the light pour from beneath the door, partly blocked by a shadow. By now, Tails's breath was erratic, for a reason he knew not. His heart pounding loudly in his ears, his blood rushing past his ears as well. "Are you in there?" he asked, reaching to turn the door knob.

Upon opening the door, Tails heard a scream, a scream that shook him to his core, a scream that nearly shattered his eardrums and made the entire building feel like it was shaking. The world swayed beneath his feet at the scream as he stared down.

It wasn't just anyone's scream. It was his own. His own scream escaping from his own lips as he stared at the floor, at the figure splayed across the floor...at the bright blood, mocking and fresh, stained the ground around said figure...gleaming like a lake of water, threatening to swallow him up.

"_Sonic!_" the fox screamed loudly, his eyes wide and frantic as he stared down at the very still body of his best friend, surrounded by his own blood, his eyes closed, face turned to the sky...the blood still pouring like water from the deep cuts in his wrists. Tails dropped to the ground, reached for his friend, taking him into his arms as the blood dripped onto his jacket, onto his fur, as the scream of his friends name escaped his lips again, a desperate cry for help.

Somehow, he found a way to shed his jacket with shaking arms, wrapping it tightly against the bleeding wrists of his best friends, wrists so shreaded and torn, looking as if his entire hand might just fall from his arm at any second. He wrapped it tight, the blood already seeping through the cloth. Another desperate scream from his lips as his shaking arms wrapped around Sonic and picked him up, racing for the front door, his feet not seeming to move fast enough. He raced to the stairs, clutching tightly to the still bleeding body of his best friend.

"_Help! Help me!_" the kitsune screamed, his cry desperate, pleading for help to stop something he could not stop alone...

**End of Chapter**


	4. Chapter 4

_Last chapter was pretty emotional, and this one will be even better. :) I'm having kinda a confusing time with life right now, so this is wonderful for me, considering I've been feeling like crying for forever. Guess I'm just having one of those 'must...write' moments, you know? lol Heres your sign, I suppose._

**Chapter 4**

The next few hours were a blur of faces, doctors, and white walls, as Tails was rushed to the hospital alongside Sonic, refusing to leave his side through the entire ambulance ride. He had clutched his hand the entire time, refusing to believe it was the end. And the entire time, he blamed himself for the entire thing.

He sat in the waiting room now, pacing back and forth on the floor, his blue eyes wide and scared, unable to believe what had happened. The blood still stained his fur and gloves, but Tails didn't feel the dried liquid. Instead, he was feeling the fear settled into his heart, the terror he had felt only hours ago as he had rushed downstairs the apartment with Sonic clutched in his arms, desperately crying for help. All he could hear was the beeping of machines, and he pounding of his own erratic heartbeat.

Thump...Thump, Beep...Thump, Beep...

He walked to the wall, leaning against it for support and lying his head against his arm, feeling the tears of guilt and fear well in his eyes. He blamed himself for reasons he didn't know. His best friends attempted suicide had done more than shaken Tails. He was completely shellshocked, filled with disbelief, hardly believing that this was Sonic. He gritted his teeth, his tears seeping into his fur, and he felt it against his flesh, cold and fresh.

This...It couldn't be happening...

He pulled away from the wall, proceeding to pace again. His feet made soft thuds against the floor, and his breathing was shaky, harmonizing with the beeping and thudding of his heart. It was like a song of sorrow, a mourning song that also resembled fear at the same time, a strange melody that made the tears come quicker to Tails's eyes as he struggled to stop them, keep them from falling down his face.

"Mr. Prower?" The voice came from the opposite wall, and Tails turned around quickly to face the dark haired, white dressed doctor that had first rushed Sonic into the E.R.. Tails rushed to him, his tears no longer threatening to fall as he stared up at the doctors face.

"He's fine, in Recovery and all patched up," the doctor said, and Tails sighed deeply, feeling suddenly light-headed, nearly falling over from the feeling. He opened his eyes again, looking up at the face of the doctor that told him the news he wanted to hear. "It was close. We almost lost him. If you hadn't of used that jacket to help stop the bleeding...he might not have made it." Tails sighed loudly, holding his head in his hands as the tears entered his eyes again.

"Thank you," his whispered. "Thank God." He shook his head, straightening back up and looking up at the doctor once more. "Thank you."

The doctor hesitated, his eyes flying to the opposite wall in the room. "But...ah, I'm afraid we need to discuss his...attempted suicide." Tails could say nothing as the doctor led him to the seat, and the two sat down side by side, with Tails staring straight ahead as the idea finally struck him like a brick to his face.

Suicide...Suicide...Sonic had tried to kill himself.

"Now, we need to figure out..."

The doctor had started to talk, but Tails wasn't listening. His mind was focused on the past, back when Tails was only a child, following Sonic around like a lost puppy. The hedgehog had been so strong, so filled with life. A wise-cracking teenager that never let anything disappoint him or let him down. He depended on himself for everything, and expected nothing from anyone.

Now, in a single day, Tails entire outlook on life, shone to him as he was raised, was shattered, broken by the mistake Sonic had made only hours ago.

The mental picture of Sonic - once so proud and gleaming, a sign of hope and happiness - was stained now, shattered and totally changed from what it once was. Instead of seeing a grinning, bright-eyed Sonic, Tails saw the hedgehog, sprawled on the floor, surrounded by his own blood.

The picture...was far from right.

"...admitting him -- Mr. Prower?"

Hearing his name shattered his thoughts, and Tails looked up at the doctor, who stared at him cautiously, as if afraid he might pass out there in the waiting room. Tails took a deep breath, wheezy and uneven, and blinked slowly.

"I'm sorry, what?" he said, closing his eyes.

"I said, due to the circumstances under which his been admitted, I personally believe Mr. Hedgehog will need to be admitted into a mental hospital. In his condition, I'm afraid I cannot allow him to be discharged from our care. I'm quiet certain under the circumstances--"

"Wait," Tails said, shaking his head. "Mental hospital?" He paused, shaking his head and staring at his hands. "No. No, Sonic couldn't survive somewhere like that." Tails looked up at the doctor, his eyes hard. "He can_not_ be admitted into a mental hospital. He won't survive there." The doctor simply shook his head solemnly, shrugging.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Prower, but if he isn't admitted into a mental hospital, he will have to stay here until I feel its okay to discharge him." With those words said, the doctor stood, his head turning to the hallway. "If you change your mind, come find me."

Tails stood next to him as the doctor began to walk off, and the kitsune looked down the hallways. "Is it okay if I see him?" the kitsune asked, and the doctor nodded. Tails fell in step next to the doctor, and he led him to Sonic's room; 316. As he opened the door and stepped inside, Tails felt a somber feeling fall over him as he looked at the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Sonic had a private room, a TV hanging on the wall in front of his bed. A curtain prevented Tails from seeing his face from where he stood, but he could see the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breath slowly, evidently sleeping. Tails stepped closer to the bed, sitting in the chair next to it.

Sonic didn't awaken. The hedgehog continued to sleep, the IV needle still stuck in his arm. Tails followed the tube to the bag of fluids hanging from the hook on the machine, watching the monitor as it slowly beeped with every heartbeat. He watched the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed slowly, deeply, and Tails wondered if his dreams were the only escape he had from the cruelty and pain the world pushed toward him. But most of all, Tails eyes the bandages wrapped around each wrist, white and so bright in contrast to his tan skin. Tails winced looking away from the bandages, his eyes stinging with unshed tears.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be...

He looked down at the face of his best friend, calm and still, and he gritted his teeth, swallowing the sob that threatened to emerge from his throat. This was _never_ how it was supposed to be.

Tails curled up in the chair, his head lying on the arm and his legs hanging off the other side. He switched from watching the TV and watching Sonic every few minutes before, after around an hour, he drifted off into sleep, his head pressed against the arm, turned toward Sonic.

**xxx**

_The sun was low in the sky, slipping into the ocean on the horizon, preparing to disappeared and be replaced by the moon. Silhouette against the sitting sun was a small twin-tailed fox, staring at the waters below in amazement, watching the waves slam against the cliff over and over in an endless cycle. The movement fascinated him, and he wondered how the water did it by itself._

_"Whatcha doin', lil' bro?" said a voice behind him, a voice familar to his young ears, which twitched as he turned around to face the blue hedgehog, his blue eyes bright with innocence._

_"Watching the waves," the kitsune said, pointing down toward the event happening below. The hedgehog started toward him, and the kitsune looked back down at the moving water, his eyes mystified. The hedgehog appeared beside him, following his gaze to the waves crashing against the side of the cliff. A smirk spread across the hedgehogs face. "How does it do that? Do you know?" The kitsune asked, looking toward him._

_"Why, of course," the blue hedgehog said, straightening back up. "I know why the water does that." The fox turned his wide blue eyes to the hedgehog, amazed that he could know the answer to such a strange phenomenon._

_"So, how?" he asked again, his eyes not leaving the hedgehog's as he stood from the ground. "How does it do that?" He looked at his little brother, his gaze flashing._

_"It's the pull of the earth and moon on one another," he explained, and the kitsune said nothing, confused by his words. The hedgehog chuckled slightly. "It's the gravity, remember, Tails? The earth and moon pull on one another, causing the waves. See?" He pointed back down at the waves, pulling and pushing against the cliff wall. "It looks like it's being pushed and pulled. It's kinda like the Earth and moon are playing tug-of-war." At this, Miles 'Tails' Prower's eyes lit up in understanding, and he smiled, looking up at Sonic._

_"Oh, I get it!" he said, pushing his hands forward then pulling them back. "Like that!" The hedgehog smiled and nodded, sitting down and throwing his legs over the cliffside. Tails followed suit, his legs kicking against the cliff as he stared at the sunset, still smiling._

_"You know what, Sonic?" the kitsune said, looking toward his hero, his eyes sparkling. Sonic the Hedgehog said nothing, listening, and the kitsune continued. "I wanna be just like you when I grow up." At this, Sonic looked over at his little brother, a look of surprise flickering across his face, soon replaced by a strong affection displayed by a smile on his face._

_"You do, huh?" he said, his eyes sparkling. "Well...Thanks, lil' bro. But, I like you just the way you are." The kitsune smiled again, looking at Sonic with utter respect. _

_"Really?!" the kitsune practically shouted, and Sonic chuckled before nodding. Tails, satisfied and totally estatic with his answer, closed his eyes and enjoyed the final rays on the sun warming his body._

_"Well, I still wanna be like you," the kitsune said sleepily, yawning gently. Sonic chuckled again, ruffling the bangs atop the foxes forehead._

Tails awoke quiet suddenly, the flashback still vivid in his mind as he opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. The nights events came rushing back to him, and he winced, remembering that day so many years ago, when he was simply a child, looking up to Sonic as his best friend, his family, his hero. Tails sighed slightly as he sat up, cringing at the stiffness of his neck and joints, groaning slightly. He looked up and the moment he did his eyes met Sonics who was staring at him from his bed.

A moment passed without a word, with the two best friends staring at each other.

It was Sonic that finally broke the silence. With his voice raspy and uneven, he spoke; "Tails..."

The kitsune felt the tears coming on again as he heard his name spoken from his best friend, a person who, twenty-four hours ago, had tried to kill himself. Tails said nothing for a moment, simply staring down his best friend as if it were the last thing he would ever do.

"Sonic," Tails finally spoke, his voice breaking slightly as the images from the night before flashed in his mind. "Why..." He stopped, his voice shattering as well as his composure, and he looked away from Sonic, his tears falling down his face as a quiet, almost unheard sob escaped from his lips.

"I...I don't..." Sonic stammered, confusion coloring his tone. And then, as if it all came back, Sonic stopped, his eyes staring straight ahead, then right at Tails. For several moments, the only sound was the ticking of the clock and the beeping of the monitor. Then...

"Tails...You...you found me..."

The kitsune whipped around, his eyes red wet, staring at Sonic straight in the eye. Tails gritted his teeth, his anger and relief mixing, sorrow evident in his eyes. Fear was there too, threatening to overtake him, as he stared at the person that had once been his hero.

"Sonic...Why?" the kitsune asked, his voice hard, unwavering. Sonic simply stared at him, his own eyes full of disbelief and fear. The hedgehog said nothing, and for several minutes, one stared the other down. Then, Tails stood, walking to the bed and sitting down, shaking his head as tears dripped down his face.

"I thought you were _dead_," he told Sonic, his eyes hard and careful, even as the tears fell from them. "I thought you were _dead_." For several minutes, Sonic and Tails said nothing, only looked away from one another and stared at opposing walls. Then, Tails spoke, his voice breaking.

"Sonic...You need help..."

For several minutes, there was no sound, only silence aside from the beeping and ticking. Then, a strange sound emerged from Sonic's throat, then he spoke.

"I...I do need help, Tails...I do..."

**End of Chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Schooooooooooools out for summer! _

_:) I'm glad, but sad at the same time. I really miss my friends, and I hope we all end up getting together over the break. But, you know, summer days means more times to update. And I'm glad for that._

**Chapter 5**

The next few days were quiet, for the most part. Tails stayed at the hospital with Sonic, sleeping in the small cot the staff had brought for him. During the night, he would lie awake, watching reruns of sitcoms until sleepiness enveloped him in darkness behind his closed eyes. During the day, he and Sonic would talk quietly, and although things were far from good, there were getting better. They would share meals and talk quietly of old times. And by the third day of being in the hospital, Tails felt happier.

Sonic was allowing himself to remember his past.

Although nothing about his family had come up, the hedgehog was able to bring up his own recollections of experiences he and Tails had went through, and that was enough for Tails. The kitsune was still shaken terribly by the attempted suicide, and every time he looked at Sonic, he felt a shudder go up his back as he remembered the pool of blood.

The day after he was admitted into the hospital, Tails explained to the doctor that Sonic would accept help, but would stay at their current location instead of relocating to the mental hospital across town. The doctor agreed - reluctantly - and immediately called up the therapist Tails had talked to before; Angela.

And she was supposed to be there today.

Tails stared at himself in the mirror of the hospital bathroom. His blue eyes were dull, exhausted, and his fur hung in clumps around his small frame. Tails sighed at his reflection, shaking his head. He really should have been at work, but for the past three days he stayed with Sonic, hoping that his presence would help the hedgehog recover faster. It seemed to be helping some.

And obviously, looking at his reflection in the mirror, Tails had been avoiding his hygienic needs.

Sighing, the kitsune turned on the shower next to him, the hot water spurting loudly from the shower head. The kitsune waited a few moments before stepping inside the hot water, steam rising around him. He sighed; the hot water felt good against his tired frame. He allowed the water to run over his back before he grabbed the soap to begin washing himself.

The entire time he was in the shower, he made sure to listen for any call from Sonic. The hedgehog had been asleep when Tails had awoken, and he hoped that was still the case. Tails sighed, allowing himself to enjoy the heat of the water against him. Once he was clean, he turned the shower off and stepped out, drying himself off with a towel.

When he looked back into the mirror, his orange fur was fluffed out humorously, and he grinned at himself, noticing the light reappearing in his eyes. He combed through the fur on his head, and it settled down.

Tails felt a hundred percent better.

Sighing in satisfaction, the kitsune stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air startling him slightly as it hit him. He stepped into Sonic's room, his bare feet making soft thuds against the tiled flooring. He stepped behind the curtain, wondering if Sonic had awoken yet...

But when he looked toward the bed, the hedgehog wasn't there.

Slight panic erupted in Tails stomach, but he forced himself to calm down; maybe he went for a walk, or to the other bathroom. He took a deep breath, proceeding to the doorway to look down both hallways; Nothing. Sonic was nowhere to be seen.

Tails headed right down the hallway, scanning any room for Sonic. He reached the end of the corridor and turned around, heading the opposite direction. He passed 315, 314, 313, and the he came to the kids lounge.

He glanced through the glass door of the kids room, his eyes falling on the few kids scattered around. But what caught his attention was the blue form sitting next to a rather ill looking child, who smiled at him, clapping her hands.

Tails stopped walking, turning his full attention to the room. He headed to the doorway, leaning against it and watching as Sonic taught the girl how to play what looked to be patty-cake. The little girl laughed quietly, her voice quiet hoarse, but looked ecstatic to have received attention from the mysterious blue stranger.

"Okay, like this. See?" the hedgehog said in a quiet, happy voice as he clapped his hands together then his left one against her right one. Her smiled widened and she nodded, repeating the motion. Sonic laughed...a true geniune laugh.

For a moment, Tails wondered if he was dreaming...

It was the same laugh Sonic had when he was his old self.

Tails felt a smile spread across his face, tears filling his eyes as he watched Sonic show the little sick girl the next step. "See? There you go! Thats it! You got it!" It amazed Tails, just to watch his best friend play with children as if nothing was wrong.

And then, when Sonic turned to his left to grab a block sitting next to him, Tails caught sight of his green eyes. They were glowing with happiness, geniune happiness.

Tails thought he would cry.

"Now, want to build a castle?" Sonic asked the little girl, who nodded happily, grabbing another block in her tiny hand. "Okay. Here we go!"

Tails watched his best friend in awe, unable to believe the moment he was seeing. The way Sonic's eyes glowed as he looked at the little girl, helping her stack blocks to make a giant castle...It was like he was dreaming, or like he was back, five years old, needing Sonic to take care of him again. And to Tails, this only proved that Sonic hardly needed to be put into a mental hospital.

No, all the hedgehog needed was a reason to smile...even if he had to remember his past...

**xxx**

When Angela came later that evening, Sonic was back in the room, sitting on the bed and watching T.V.. Tails was still remembering the way his eyes had glowed, sitting next to him in the chair. He hadn't mentioned what he had saw. There was no reason to.

When Angela knocked on the door, Tails stood, and Sonic's eyes flew to the closed door, tensing immediately, Tails noticed. Ignoring it, he rushed to the door, throwing it open and smiling at Angela.

"Good evening, Mr. Prower," she said to him, smiling polietly. "Is Mr. Hedgehog around?"

Tails nodded, stepping aside to allow her through. Sonic sat on the bed as she stepped inside, his hands gripping the sheets frustratingly, almost angrily. Tails shut the door and offered Angela the seat he had been sitting in only moments before. She thanked him and sat down, looking at Sonic with her clipboard in her arms.

"Good evening, Mr. Hedgehog," she said, extending a hand to him. Sonic hesitated. "I'm Angela Micheals." After a moment of simply staring at Angela, Sonic grasped her hand and shook it before dropping his own at his side. She smiled comfortingly at him, then glanced at Tails.

"Mr. Prower, would you mind if Mr. Hedgehog and I --"

"Sonic," Sonic interrupted, wincing. "Just...Sonic.."

"Er..if _Sonic_and I discuss something privately?" The kitsune looked over at the hedgehog questioningly, wondering if the hedgehog could cope with Angela if he were away. The hedgehog simply stared at Tails, giving him a slight nod of the head. Tails nodded to both Angela and Sonic before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He could hardly make out their words behind the door, but he did his best to be sure that Angela was not being pushy with Sonic to answer her questions. He practically pressed his ear against the door listening.

"...help you with what you're coping with."

"...I don't need help..."

"We all say that, Mr. Hedge-- er, Sonic. But truthfully, we all need help sometimes."

Silence. Tails pressed his ear closer against the door.

"Would you like to talk about whats happened?"

No response. Tails felt his mouth go dry as he listened closely.

"I know its hard Sonic, but sometimes--"

"Are we finished?" Tails heard Sonic interrupted, his voice curt and strained. For a moment, Angela said nothing, and Tails imagined her simply staring at him.

"...If you want it to be, it can." Tails heard shuffling in the room, and then Sonic's voice.

"I want it to be." He heard something said from Angela, and then the sound of footsteps as they approached the door. Tails quickly removed himself from the doorway, standing next to it casually. When Angela opened the door, he looked at her expectantly. She sighed, shaking her head as she shut the door behind her, her eyes troubled.

"He wouldn't open up," she told him, and his heart fell into his stomach. "He's...he's really suffering, Mr. Prower." A pause in which Tails swallowed the growing lump in his throat, looking toward the door. Angela cleared her throat, and Tails looked up at her. She was looking down the hallway.

"I will be back the same time tomorrow, okay?" she said. "We'll keep doing this, because if we don't, he just might try something again." With that, Angela left, leaving Tails alone in the hallway. He sighed, resting his head against the wall. Sonic's room was quiet, but down the hall, Tails could hear the incoherent voice from a T.V.. He closed his eyes and pushed away from the wall, opening Sonic's room door and stepping inside.

Sonic was curled up in his bed, his back to Tails. The kitsune walked toward him, his heart in his throat as he looked at him closely. The hedgehogs green eyes were cold, staring out the window as if he hoped the glass would shatter just by looking at it. Without a word, Tails sat down in the chair, resting his head on the back of it.

"...I don't need help..."

Tails opened his eyes and looked at Sonic. The words were different from what was spoken three days ago, and he stared at Sonic, his words lost. The hedgehog blinked, his eyes emotionless, cold.

" I've done it this far on my own...I can do the rest on my own." Tails said nothing to Sonic, simply staring at him. Then, without a word, he closed his eyes, resting his head against the back of the chair.

"I don't need help..."

**End of Chapter**


	6. Chapter 6

_Another chapter. Amazing, huh? This one is very sad. I cried writing it. I have a challenge for you 'toughies' out there. Try reading this and listening to "Hello" by Evanescence at the same time, and see if you don't cry your eyes out._

_I'd say there is only one more chapter, and I can work on something else. Thanks for reading, and try not to cry too hard._

**Chapter 6**

For several days, Angela returned at the same time, no where near giving up on Sonic. The meetings would end the same, with Sonic closing himself up when asked about his family and begging for the meeting to be over. Angela would oblige, and leave politely, but she wasn't about to stop coming to try and help Sonic.

Tails would listen to their conversations every day, his ear pressed against the door as he listened closely to the words being passed back and forth. Both him and Angela knew the hedgehog was no where near a break through, and that worried Tails.

What if Sonic never got better?

He would always shake the thought from his head. Of _course_ he would get better! He had to!

But with each passing day, that slim chance was getting slimmer and slimmer.

As with the visits, another thing happened every day. At around the same time every morning, Sonic would leave the room, heading down to the kids lounge where he would meet the same little girl. He would help her build castles or teach her new games. Tails would watch, unseen, a smile on his face.

For a straight month, Angela came every day, always prepared for whatever Sonic could dish out. And a month after her first visit, something changed.

"So, Sonic, how are you today?"

Tails pressed his ear against the door for nearly the thirtieth time, listening closely to the words shared between the two.

"...Okay..."

There was silence.

"Well, thats good, then." Angela said, and it was quiet. "Do you think you can tell me anything today?"

Silence again. Tails heard shuffling.

"You know, Sonic, thats what I'm here for. To listen to anything --"

"Is the session over yet?"

There was momentary silence, that was strained by both parties. Then, Tails heard Angela sigh quietly.

"If you want it to be, Sonic."

There was no answer, and Tails heard Angela stand. She began to walk toward the door, but her footsteps stopped halfway. Tails listened closely, for she cleared her throat, walking back toward Sonic.

"You know, Sonic," she started, her voice low. "I'm not the only one you're allowed to talk to." She paused. "Somehow, your past has to come out, but...You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. Anyone that will listen will do." Silence. "Good evening, Sonic." With that, Angela's footsteps sounded again, and Tails backed away from the door when it opened, revealing Angela, who sighed and shook her head.

"Nothing again..." she said, looking back into the room. Tails sighed, then smiled politely at Angela before walking inside.

"He'll...tell eventually, I hope..." Tails said as he ventured inside Sonic's room. To his surprise, the hedgehog was sitting up, looking down at his hands with his legs dangling off the bedside. Tails stopped, watching him.

"Sonic?" Tails said quietly, not moving. The hedgehog said nothing for a moment, simply stared at his hands, motionless.

Then, Sonic said something that nearly took his breath away.

"I had two daughters..." the hedgehog started in a quiet, strained voice, as if telling the story itself could kill him. Tails made no movement, simply watching Sonic, wondering, wondering if this was the breakthrough they were looking for.

Was Sonic actually going to explain his past to Tails?

The kitsune watched him, the strain in his face and muscles. "Two daughters...Chloe and Trista...Chloe was the oldest...fourteen years old...and Trista was twelve..." A pause. Tails watched Sonic silently, his mouth open slightly. There was a shadow in the doorway, but Tails didn't look to see who it was. He had eyes only for Sonic, as the hedgehog struggled with himself, shaking as he stared at his hands.

"And...I was married...I...Amy..." A strange sound emerged from his throat before he continued. "I...loved her...She was the most...beautiful woman...And my two little girls were my life..." He swallowed, still not looking up from his hands. "Trista...looked just like her mother...but had my smart-assy attitude...And Chloe...Oh, she was a beautiful little girl...violet fur...and her mothers eyes...her mothers kindness..." Tails was instantly reminded of the little girl Sonic had met there in the hospital, and flash of the two playing together crossed his mind. As he watched Sonic, a small tear fell from his face, landing silently on the ground below him. Tears began to blur his own vision, but he couldn't move, couldn't say or do a thing to stop them.

"It was Tuesday...May 12th..." He paused. "I was...I was at work...I remember...the phone rang...Amy..." Another strange sound. "Told me not to be late for the girls last basketball game...I...I promised her I wouldn't...We hung up...And I got held up at work...Missed the game." Tears dripped to the ground, landing silently, and Tails felt his own running down his face. Another figure stood at the doorway, but Tails payed no mind. He still had eyes only for Sonic.

"I remembered hoping Amy wasn't too mad...hoping my girls would forgive me..." He gritted his teeth together. "And then...and then the radio said there had been an accident...Three seconds later...my cell phone rang." Suddenly, Sonic's fists clenched together tightly, his knuckles turning white as tears fell from his face.

"'We couldn't save them,' they told me!" he shouted loudly. "'They died instantly. Head on collision with a semi. I'm sorry'." And for the first time in his life, Tails heard a gut wrenching sob come from Sonic throat. And still, all Tails could do was watch him, his own tears falling from his face and onto the ground as he watched his best friend. "'They're all dead...All three of them!'" Another sob broke from his chest, and Sonic shut his eyes, placing his head on his knees and his hands on his head. "And little Chloe...little Chloe had made the winning shot for the game! And _I wasn't even there_!" Another sob erupted from his throat, his entire body shaking. "I wasn't even there..."

Sonic sobbed into his knees, his tears falling to the ground beneath him. Tails felt his own tears falling from his face, striking the tiled floor beneath him as he stared at his best friend, stared at the person that had lost so much, that had kept so much hidden from the world, simply because they may think he was insane. It was too much for the kitsune to grasp. Sonic had lost everything...everything he ever loved...his entire life had been taken from him in that single moment when the two vehicles collided.

With tears falling down from his face, Tails walked forward, his vision blurred with his tears. Without saying a single word, the kitsune wrapped his arms around Sonic's shoulder, grasping the hedgehog close to him as he sobbed loudly. Sonic didn't pull away from the embrace. Instead, he leaned into it, burying his head in Tails's shoulder as the tears for all he had lost poured from his eyes.

For several minutes, Miles 'Tails' Prower allowed Sonic the Hedgehog to cry on his shoulder, his own tears falling from his blue eyes as he sobbed silently, the two's sobs creating a mournful melody in the hospital. It seemed the world stood completely still as the two cried together.

For the first time, it wasn't Tails that needed Sonic the most. It was Sonic needed Tails the most. His entire life was gone, and Tails was all he had left. Sonic clutched onto Tails as if he were a lifeline, his teeth gritted together as he cried into his best friends shoulder.

"I miss them so much..." he sobbed, shuddering. "I always missed them...I want them back...I want them back..." Sonic gasped for breath, and Tails squeezed his eyes shut, his heart twisted and jerking painfully as he listened to his best friends sobs.

In that moment, Tails was reminded of how fragile everything was. The strongest person in the world could be brought to his knees in a single instant, and everything could be lost in less time than it took to blink. It was all so fragile, so delicate...but yet at the same time, so important. Everything you lived for could be gone in a heartbeat.

Tails clutched tightly to Sonic, saying nothing, sending the message to Sonic that he would always be there no matter what. The two clutched one another desperately, as if letting go would mean the end of their lives.

It was a few moments later that Tails felt a tap on his shoulder. He ignored it, his tears falling onto Sonic's shoulder as the two continued to sob. There was no way to stop the tears then. Until they were all gone, Tails did not plan to let go of Sonic. And finally, through the heart-wrenching sobs, Tails was able to speak, his voice broken.

"I'm so sorry, Sonic," the kitsune whispered, shaking his head. "I...I'm so sorry..."

And that was all he could say.

After several minutes, Sonic cried himself to sleep in Tails arms, the kitsune gritting his teeth together as he watched him sleep. He sniffed quietly, rubbing his eyes slightly, and looking away, toward the door. Both Angela and the doctor stood there, and Angela had tears in her eyes. Nevertheless, she smiled at Tails slightly.

"That was the breakthrough," she whispered, folding her hands. "He told you everything..."

Tails looked back down at Sonic, the back up at Angela and the doctor. He sniffed quietly.

"Just...please let him go home now...Please..."

**End of Chapter**


	7. Chapter 7

_:))) Last chapter! Then theres an epilogue, and I'm all done!_

_This has been a joy writing, although its not my best, I loved writing it. After this, I can start on some oneshots I've been planning. ;)_

_Hope you enjoy. This isn't as emotional as my other chapters, but I still think its pretty good. Reviews are thanked! :)_

**Chapter 7**

Tails stared at the white wall, listening to the sound of his own breathing and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

It was currently three am, and Tails was still awake, unable to sleep even though his mind was clouded and fuzzy with mental exhaustion. The earlier events had left him drained of energy, and and he could hardly blink without feeling slight pain. But he couldn't sleep. His thoughts were racing too fast for him to even close his eyes.

After the episode with Sonic, Tails, Angela, and Sonic's doctor sat down to discuss when he would be discharged from the hospital. Naturally, the doctor still refused to allow him to leave simply because he had broken down and told what he had been going through. Reluctantly, all three agreed to watch him for a week before making a decision.

After that, they left, and Tails was alone with the sleeping Sonic.

The kitsune sighed quietly, turning around so he faced Sonic, his back to the wall. The hedgehog was still sleeping, his chest rising slowly with every breath he took. The kitsune watched him quietly, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat.

Tails knew he was going through something awful, but he never believed it was this bad. The way Sonic broke down and confessed what was wrong...Tails would never forget the way it felt to watch someone who was once the most powerful person to him, his hero even, break down into tears. Now, after allowing the broken pieces to be dropped from his bleeding hands, Sonic now had to carefully pick through them and put everything back together.

And for the first time ever, he needed Tails...And he planned to be there for him as long as he needed him to.

Sonic made an amusing noise in his sleep, and Tails smiled, the first real smile he had had in around a week. The motion felt slightly wrong, as if the smile wasn't supposed to be there. But at the same time, it felt good, just to know he was still able to smile through all that was going on.

Tails turned back to the wall, closing his eyes. No matter what he had to get some sleep. And he finally did, the picture of Sonic and his family vivid in his mind...

**xxx**

"Mr. Prower..."

Tails mumbled slightly in his sleep, shifting uncomfortably. His name reached out to him from the vast darkness that surrounded him, and when he looked up from where he stood in his dream, he saw Sonic and his doctor, standing side by side. It was the doctor calling for him, Sonic standing next to him, emotionless, simply staring at Tails. The kitsune cocked an eyebrow in confusion at the calling of his name, and began to walk toward them.

But with each step he took, the farther both Sonic and the doctor got. Perplexed, the kitsune simply stopped moving, wondering why they kept getting farther away.

_"Sonic?"_the kitsune called, and his voice echoed around him in the never ending darkness. The hedgehog blinked at the sound of his voice, but didn't acknowledge Tails. Sonic looked down at his feet, then closed his eyes. And suddenly, he began fading into the blackness.

_"Sonic!"_ Tails called, but still his image faded, yet the doctor remained, his face grave and guilt-stricken.

"Mr. Prower...I'm...sorry...Sonic...lost..."

For a moment, Tails stood stunned, only catching those words. What? Sonic...lost? Had Sonic died while under his care? Tails simply stared at the doctors image, and in a few moment, he too began to fade. And Tails was left alone in the vast darkness of his own mind, left to try and place what the doctor had told him.

_"It can't be...no..."_

"Mr. Prower!"

Rough hands grabbed him, and suddenly, the darkness was gone, replaced by a bright light he was staring straight into. His mind immediately began to scream in alarm at the lights, and he shut his eyes, shaking his head.

"No...It...can't be..."

"Mr. Prower! Wake up!"

At the command, Tails reopened his eyes, squinting against the light about him. He felt someone shaking his arm, and looked to his left, his eyes burning from the bright light. He saw Angela watching his cautiously, with a hint of worry in her eyes. Tails groaned, sighing with relief.

It had just been a dream...

"Mr. Prower...Have you seen Sonic?" At the mention of the blue hedgehog, Tails looked up and toward his bed. But it was empty, the sheets pulled back and Sonic gone. Tails immediately awoke, and he sat up, shaking the sleep from his eyes and mind. He thought a second, wondering where Sonic could've went to.

Then, it came to him.

The kitsune stood, quickly fixing his bangs out of his eyes. "Follow me," he said, walking out of the room. Angela, slightly confused, followed.

Tails led her down the hallway, and stopped outside the kids lounge, looking inside. And there he sat, Sonic the Hedgehog, sitting with the same little girl, teaching her yet another game to play. Tails said nothing as Angela stood beside him, looking inside the room silently. Sonic said something to the little girl, who laughed happily, her wide eyes sparkling with happiness. And together, the two began to play patty-cake.

Angela said nothing for a moment, watching with shining eyes. Then, when she spoke, her voice was filled with awe, and Tails glanced at her slowly, his own blue eyes wide.

"I...never thought he would come here..." she said quietly as she continued to watch Sonic. "I always thought...children would make the memory much more painful." She placed a hand against the glass, touching the girl through the window. "But I guess even therapists learn something new every day." Angela smiled, and Tails felt hope sprinkle inside him as he turned back to watch Sonic play with the little girl.

**xxx**

Tails returned to the hospital room a few minutes later, leaving Angela to watch Sonic interact with the child silently. Tails shut the door behind him as he entered the quiet room. With a sigh, the kitsune walked to the window and looked out at the city spreading out in front of him. It was lunchtime, and the streets below were crowded with traffic. Tails only wondered what his shop looked like. People were probably growing angry with him for being so late. Sighing, Tails pushed the thought from his mind as he pushed away from the window, heading into the bathroom.

Turning on the light, the kitsune looked at his reflection in the mirror. His fur was ruffled and he looked tired, but he looked better. Tails turned on the sink and splashed water on his face, letting it drip from his face back into the sink as he stared down. It was so odd, the feeling of knowing Sonic needed him. It used to be totally different...but things changed, and no one knew this better than Tails. The hedgehog had once been his hero, the one person he could trust with anything. Now, the tables were turned, and although Tails could trust Sonic with everything he had, Sonic needed him more than Tails needed him.

Sighing Tails dried his face with a towel. Just as he did, he heard the door open slightly, and he heard it slam shut, followed by footsteps. Quietly, Tails dropped the towel from his face and looked out the bathroom door to see Sonic climb on his bed, looking down at his hands silently. The bandages were gone from his wrists, removed days earlier, but the scars were still there, and they would remain there forever. Tails watched as Sonic touched the scar along his right wrist, eyeing it strangely. Then, with a sigh, the hedgehog dropped both his hands and looked toward the bathroom door just as Tails walked out.

And for the first time, the hedgehog smiled at him.

"Hey, Tails," he said, his green eyes brighter than normal, as if the event yesterday had never happened. Tails smiled back, uttering his own greeting. Sonic patted the space next to him on the bed. "Hop up here and lets talk." Tails obliged and climbed up next to Sonic, and the two looked out the window, watching the hustle of the city below.

For several minutes, neither said a word. And in those few moments, Tails could have been able to convince himself that everything was like it used to be; the two best friends just sitting in each others company, watching the world outside just before they went out on their morning run. Tails wished it was so, wished that, any minute, Sonic would tell him it was time to run, and they would rush out of the room on another adventure.

But that was simply hope. This was reality.

"Hey Tails," the hedgehog started quietly, not moving his eyes from the window. Tails looked up at him questionably, the kitsunes blue eyes curious. "I want to...well, I want to thank you..." Sonic trailed off, pausing a moment before looking down at Tails, staring him straight in the eye. And for a moment, Sonic was allowing the kitsune to see himself as he was now; helpless, looking for a way out. "...For everything."

For a moment, Tails said nothing, and the two friends simply stared at one another, words unsaid passed between them in that single moment. And in that single moment, the two best friends found themselves growing closer than ever before. Then, Tails smiled slightly, giving Sonic and thumbs up.

"Thanks for allowing me to help, Sonic," the kitsune said, his happiness growing as he spent time with Sonic. "I would do anything to help you out..." Sonic looked slightly surprised at this, his green eyes glittering.

"Why would you?" he asked quietly, his eyes growing suddenly hard. "Why would you care so much to do anything to help me?" Tails wasn't fazed by the sudden change. He stared Sonic right back in the eye, not even blinking.

"Because you are and always will be my best friend," the kitsune replied quietly, not removing his eyes from Sonic. "We're brothers, Sonic, and, even if you don't remember it, we have been our entire lives. And I don't plan to lose that to anything." And before his very eyes, Tails saw a change in Sonic, a change he was looking for as the hedgehogs green eyes softened, glowed in realization, and looked away. Tails still didn't look away.

"And I hope you know that I am always here for you, and would do anything for you, Sonic. And I mean that."

Then Sonic looked back at Tails, the two locking eyes again. And just like that, the brotherhood between the two was reforged together, something that was always there made stronger, stitched back together after years of being separated. Tails looked away after a few moments, his heart feeling lighter than before, watching the city below once more.

And next to him, Sonic kept watching him, a slight smile playing at his features.

"You know something, Tails?" the hedgehog said. "I think you're right...And you know what?" A slight pause in which Tails looked up at Sonic, who was grinning mischievously, the first real smile of Sonic Tails had seen in years. And he said one word that said everything to Tails that he wanted to hear, making him smile

"Ditto."

**xxx**

The next day, Tails awoke late, the sun waking him up at around 11:15 at it poured through the window brightly. Groaning, Tails turned away from it and pulled himself out of bed reluctantly, not ready to pull himself away from the first full nights sleep he had in awhile.

He sat up quietly, stretching and rubbing his eyes. The first thing he did was look to Sonic's bed to see the hedgehog had left already, obviously heading off to see the little girl he had been so happy with. Tails stood from his bedside, immediately heading to the bathroom to make himself presentable.

When he stepped back out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Angela and the doctor were standing at the door. Tails greeted them with a smile, waving them in. Angela immediately ran up to Tails, a smile wide across her face, the doctor stepping in slower behind her.

"He's agreeing to let Sonic leave!" she said quietly, her voice excited. Tails felt a leap in his chest as his heart thumped wildly, happy that his friend was allowed to leave. The kitsune looked over at the doctor, who smiled slightly and nodded, stepping toward them.

"Thats...thats wonderful...but what changed your mind?" Tails asked. The doctor cleared his throat.

"Well, Angela found me yesterday and took me to the kids lounge. I had no idea why, and she wouldn't tell me. But when I got there, I saw Mr. Hedgehog playing with one of our patients, Lindy." He smiled slightly. "I'm believed he was okay after seeing that. He was so gentle with her, like she was his own." He sighed, shaking his head. "So, as long as someone stays with him for awhile, I believe its okay for him to be discharged."

To say that Tails was ecstatic was an understatement.

"Oh, he'll have to hear the news," he told them, smiling. "Thank you for all your help, both of you." He paused, looking at Angela. "I don't know what he would've done without your help." The therapist smiled and shook her head.

"It was you that did everything," Angela told him. "You were there any time he needed you, and he told you everything. It's you to thank for all of his. He's recovered drastically since you were here." Tails could say nothing to the praise, but thanked both her and the doctor before heading off to find Sonic.

He walked down the hallway, a jump in his step as he neared the kids lounge. He stepped through the doorway without looking through the window, and listened as the kids laughed and played around him. He looked to the spot where Lindy and Sonic usually sat near the window. There Sonic sat, but he was alone, looking out the window at the sky. Confused, Tails walked slowly toward Sonic, and as he got closer, Sonic whispered quietly, just loud enough for him to hear.

"She's gone."

Tails felt his heart fall to the floor, and he stopped where he was behind Sonic, his blue eyes studying the hedgehog. Sonic didn't move an inch, simply staring out the window. Tails hesitated before stepping forward again, stopping next to Sonic and sitting down. The two said nothing for awhile, sitting in the silence in the corner of the room.

"She died last night," the hedgehog said quietly to Tails. "In her sleep. She had cancer...and she was only four years old." He grew silent again, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Tails placed a single hand on his shoulder, letting him know silently that he was there to listen.

"She reminded me a lot of Chloe...and I think thats why I enjoyed being around her so much..." He paused again, and Tails looked at his face, seeing the tears shimmering in his eyes. "When I was walking around the halls a few weeks ago, I saw her sitting by herself. No one would play with here for some reason...and I decided to sit down with her...I never believed...I would grow to love her..." He stopped, and Tails said nothing, squeezing his shoulder quietly as a single tear rolled down Sonic's face and fell, striking the ground.

For several minutes, neither spoke, and Tails watched as a few more tears fell from Sonic's face as he cried silently for the loss of the little girls life. He had no idea how much time passed before someone tapped him on the shoulder, forcing him to turn around. It was the doctor, and he looked sympathetically at Sonic before turning his attention back to Tails.

"Sign these papers, and he's good to go." The kitsune agreed, quickly signing the papers before placing his hand back on Sonic's shoulder. The hedgehog said nothing, simply looking over at his younger brother and Tails smiled slightly.

"Lets go home, big bro..."

Sonic watched him for a moment, before smiling sadly, and the two stood, walking toward the door side by side.

And as they opened the door leading outside, Tails looked over at Sonic, seeing the familiar glow of happiness glittering in his eyes. The hedgehog turned to him, grinning slightly, the shimmer of unshed tears still remaining in his eyes. He offered his hand to Tails, not saying a word. With a smile of understanding, Tails grasped his hand slightly, and the two shot off.

And in that moment, as the city blurred past them and Sonic stared straight ahead with that old look of excitement in his eyes, Tails knew that everything was going to be okay.

**End of Chapter**


	8. Epilogue

_Welp, last chapter. I'm proud I finished it, but while I'm glad, I'm also sad. It's hard ending a story you worked so hard on, but it all pays off of course. (:_

_Hope everyone enjoys this final chapter of _Reign Over Me_. It's really touching although I think its more 'awh' touching than 'omg -sob-' touching, but it may be a mixture of both. :) Thanks for reading RoM and stay tuned for more from _Aiko-Chan SoT_!! :DD_

**Epilogue**

With a final turn of the key, Miles 'Tails' Prower sighed and turned away from his shop, glad the day was over. The sun was warm on his fur, and he reached up to wipe the sweat from his brow. He stepped down from the steps, pulling his bangs from his face. He stood at the base of the steps, watching the crowded traffic on both the sidewalk and the road. He noticed the blur of blue through the crowd, and smiled, blending with the crowd and walking north. Seconds later, a blue hedgehog appeared beside him, falling in step with him as they walked along with the crowd. The hedgehog looked over at him with a sideways grin.

"Hey, Tails," he greeted, folding his hands behind his back as the two walked side by side up the sidewalk. Tails glanced over at him and grinned, folding his own hands behind his head.

"Hey, Sonic."

Two months ago, Sonic the Hedgehog had been hospitalized for an attempt to take his own life. Now, two months later, Tails could hardly believe it was the same hedgehog that he had found lying on the floor in his own blood. The hedgehog had taken a change for the better. And although he was nowhere near as carefree as he used to be, the hedgehog had improved drastically, and Tails was beginning to see the Sonic he knew growing up returning.

The kitsune looked over at his best friend, his blue eyes taking in the changes. Physically, the hedgehog had changed for the better as well. Once before, his fur was a dull blue, unkempt and messy. Now, it was the shiny cobalt it used to be and fixed better. Color was back in his face as well, and his eyes were no longer dull and lifeless. Now, when Tails looked at him, he saw the glow of the old Sonic there, alive and restless, always ready to run.

And Tails had never been so relieved.

"So, how was work?" Sonic asked as they continued walking up the sidewalk, breaking Tails from his thoughts. The kitsune sighed.

"Well, I finally got that rebuild done. Although, I think Mr. Dotson wasn't too happy it took me nearly three months." Sonic laughed quietly. "Other than that, it was pretty good. Kindly slow today, though." For awhile the two walked in silence. "So what about you? What did you do today?"

Sonic smiled slightly. "Well, I finished painting the bedroom," he replied, dropping his arms to his side. A businessman hurrying to work squeezed between the two, separating them for a moment. "And ran around the ruins a bit." Tails smiled. No matter what, the hedgehog would never quit running. "That's about it."

Since Sonic had been discharged from the hospital, he and Tails had returned to their old home in the Mystic Ruins. In the last two months, they had been fixing it up and adding an extra room. Now their old home was much better looking, and roomy for both Sonic and Tails.

Tails nodded. "Great. Maybe we can take a break tonight." They stayed quiet for awhile before Sonic thrust his hand out to Tails. The kitsune was expecting it, and smiled, reaching for it, wrapping his hand around Sonic's. Then, a heartbeat later, Sonic shot off, Tails running just as fast behind him, the two a orange and blue blur against the many faces of the city.

**xxx**

They made it home not long later, finally skidding to a stop in front of the house. Tails was slightly out of breath, but Sonic was fine and leap lightly on the porch, opening the door and stepping inside without hesitating. Tails, still breathing heavily, walked in behind him, closing the door in his wake. Sonic plopped down on the couch in the living room, Tails doing the same next to him. The two sighed around the same time, looking at the newly painted light blue living room walls. Already, many pictures covered the walls, all of them pictures from Sonic and Tails's childhood. Their earliest days covered the wall before him, and every time Tails would look at them, he would smile, remembering how it used to be, and wondered if it would ever be the same again.

Maybe not, but it was pretty damn close.

Both Sonic and Tails remained quiet for awhile, and Tails scanned the walls, eyeing the photos one by one. He always got the same thrill every time he looked at each one, and knew it would never go away. No matter what, he knew he and Sonic would, of course, be friends forever.

After a few minutes, Tails looked toward Sonic, ready to comment on the color of the walls, but when he looked at the hedgehog, Tails realized he had fallen asleep. A smirk crossed the kitsunes face, and he turned his attention back to the wall.

After a few moments, he, too, had fallen asleep.

**xxx**

_In a large playground located in the middle of four huge towers within the city, a little pink hedgehog sat, huddled to herself next to a rose bush. _

_From within the trees surrounding the rest of the park, a kitsune heard sobbing from her, and his ears twitched in confusion at the sounds. It sounded wrong, out of place. He stepped toward the edge of the trees, looking out to find the little girl that was crying alone._

_He saw her, the small pink hedgehog, not a day over five. She was staring down at her hand, tears falling from her eyes. From where the kitsune stood, he could see a few drops of blood on the small childs finger. Poor child must have pricked her fingers on the many thorns on the rose bush. Tails smiled sympathetically, taking one more step toward her, hoping to comfort the small girl._

_But at the moment, a flash of blue caught his eye among the green of the grass, and suddenly, a tall blue hedgehog was standing near the girl, his green eyes troubled and worried. The kitsune felt a smile on his face as he recognized the hedgehog. The hedgehog rushed to the little girls side, reaching out to her, and from where he stood, the kitsune heard the words passed between them._

_"What happened, Trista?" the blue hedgehog asked in a soothing, but worried tone, leaning over the pink hedgehog as she clutched her pricked finger. Trista sniffed, looking up at the blue hedgehog with tears running down her face as she lifted her finger to him, a small speck of blood seeping gently from the wound._

_"I was...t-trying to get...you and Mommy a r-rose," she replied, glancing toward the rose bush beside her. She sniffed again. "But the stupid bush...b-bit me..." The blue hedgehog smiled gently, his green eyes glowing in warmth, and the kitsune felt a strong glow of admiration flame in his chest, and he smiled as well. He watched as the hedgehog placed firm but gently hands beneath the little girls arms and lifted her, holding her against his chest as he examined her wound with gentle fingers._

_"Aw, it's not so bad," he said, wiping the blood away with a gloved hand. Trista winced slightly, probably frightened of more pain, and the blue hedgehog looked at her, smiling. "The rose bush has thorns, Trista, and it poked you when you were trying to get one." He leaned down, pointing at the stems of the rose bush to show her. "See? It didn't bite you, it just poked you." Trista sniffed, nodding as she looked at the thorns. Then small tears began to fall down her face again._

_"But...I wanted to get you and Mommy a rose," she whimpered slightly, reaching out again as if trying to get one of the many bright red roses on the bush. The hedgehog, still smiling, placed her back on the ground. _

_"Here, I'll help," he said, and he guided her small hand away from the thorns, closing it around a part of the stem that didn't have the sharp hazards. With a swift yank, the little girl suddenly had two roses on one stem, smiling happily at them. The kitsune felt a warmth in his chest as he looked up at the blue hedgehog, who was pratically glowing with this little girl presenting him a rose. _

_The kitsune wondered if he had ever seen such love glowing in the hedgehogs eyes in his entire life._

_"There, Daddy," Trista said, smiling and handing him one of the roses. Smiling, the blue hedgehog took it carefully, admiring it as he twirled it around in his fingers. He looked back at his little girl, kissing her gently on the forehead._

_"It's beautiful," he said, grinning. "But you know what else is even more beautiful?" The little girl giggled, possibly knowing what was going to be said, but shook her head anyway. The blue hedgehogs eyes twinkled. "You are. You're so much prettier than this rose that it looks like a weed compared to you." The little girl giggled happily, wrapping her arms around her fathers neck as he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. As he carried her away from the rose bush, the single rose still in his hands and the other in hers, Trista spoke again, her voice reaching to the kitsune, even as it got fainter and fainter._

_"You know what else is prettier than this rose?" she asked mischieviously as they neared another pink hedgehog, whose eyes glowed upon seeing them, her hands upon her swollen belly. The blue hedgehog smiled, looking toward the other pink hedgehog._

_"Whose that, Trista?" he asked as they got closer to the other female hedgehog._

_"Mommy," she giggled, thrusting the rose out toward her mother as they reached her. The blue hedgehog's smile widened, and he stared at the pink hedgehog in front of him, his eyes glowing._

_"Yeah, she sure is, Trista."_

**xxx**

Inside a small home atop a cliff in the Mystic Ruins, two best friends slept upon the couch, a twin-tailed fox curled up on one side, and a lightning fast blue hedgehog sprawled out on the other. If anyone had been looked at them in their unconscious state, they would've seen a wide smile on both their faces...and the traces of tears falling from the blue hedgehogs closed eyes...

**End of Story**


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